Candace Against the Universe Parent Review written by the Ent on 8/30/2020 This post contains affiliate links, you can find out more on our policies page or in the disclaimer at the bottom of the blog.
Know Before You Watch Candace Against the Universe on Disney+
Movie: Candace Against the Universe
Rating: TV-G
Age Suggestion: 4+
Running Time: 1hr. 25 min.
Release Date: August 28, 2020 on Disney+
Themes: Sibling relationships, purpose, being special
Warnings: Mild, cartoon violence and action. if you can handle the cartoon Phineas and Ferb, then this movie should be fine.
Candace Against the Universe Quick Summary:
Candace is finally the star of the show! Will she finally prove to her mother that Phineas and Ferb are crazy inventor masterminds? Can she save the day on her own? The latest installment of Phineas and Ferb is timely and entertaining. A fun family watch, especially for fans of the show!
**[SPOILER ALERT] There’s a mind controlling virus in the movie that is spread through breathing the air (sound familiar?!). This is a GREAT movie to use to talk with kids about why we have to work together and wear masks to protect each other during a pandemic! Also how germs spread!**
*Keep reading for our Candace Against the Universe Parent Review, lessons and discussion questions*
Candace Against the Universe Parent Review *light spoilers beyond this point!*
-Is Candace Against the Universe Appropriate?:
There is a mild bit of cartoon violence, but ultimately Candace Against the Universe is appropriate for most children. We’ll also note that there is a slight amount of bathroom humor, but nothing over the top or too far beyond -my butt exploded- type humor. If a child can handle the Phineas and Ferb cartoon, then this movie would be fine for them. And really, you would miss a lot of the movies humor if you hadn’t seen any of the series before watching the movie.
-Characters & Acting:
The characters were the same, and awesome as ever. Candace’s character development was deeper than anything she had in the series and great! And Ali Wong was wonderful as the new alien queen. We loved that Candace and Doofenshmirtz got so much screen time and that they got some character development and growth- in hilarious ways of course.
-Script & Story:
Very typical of a Phineas and Ferb storyline. Personally, I love the comedy in this show and think the timings great. Is some of it crazy cheesy, of course. Is a lot of it over the top and just put in for a laugh, also yes. There’s always a temptation to make the humor in kids movies inappropriate for kids, but they don’t and as a parent I really appreciate that! If you enjoyed the show, I think you will really enjoy this movie and we highly recommend.
AND if you’ve never watched the series with your kids but are thinking about checking it out because they’ve watched every episode five times of their other favorite series, we really enjoyed this animated Disney series and recommend it. This movie’s a great addition to it.
–Favorite Moments:
*There are several meta jokes within the movie to make adults laugh. The humor is great without being inappropriate.
*Near the end of the film, there is a very touching scene between Candace, Phineas and Ferb.
*The animators getting screen time was hysterical. Loved that they jumped out to the storyboard.
*I loved Perry the Platypus getting his ‘unsung, but now I’ve sung it’ hero song.
*The chicken-replace-inator may be the best invention known to man. Can someone please invent this and use it to get rid of our current virus issues?!?!
Keep reading for lessons from Candace Against the Universe
3 Lessons From Candace Against the Universe
1) We need to work together
It turns out that the alien queen, Doofenshmirtz, and even Phineas and Ferb could not take on the universe alone. You have to work together to get things done. Again, this is a GREAT movie to discuss with your kids why masks and working together during an epidemic are SO important! Also about how germs spread!
2) Your life now is better than you think
2020 has been crazy at best, but this is a great time to talk about what you’re thankful for. And if you have Disney Plus and an air conditioned place to watch it, you have a lot to be thankful for!! Talk about that with your kids! It turns out that Candace’s summer wasn’t as awful as she thought- in fact, there were some pretty great parts about it. Including her friends and brothers.
3) We all need to know we’re special
Candace was special and valued, she just needed to be reminded by her family and friends. Don’t we all need that?
Candace Against the Universe Discussion Questions:
1) What was your favorite part of the movie and why?
2) What was the funniest part to you?
3) Have you ever felt like the universe was against you?
4) Who would you choose to fight against aliens with you?
5) List five reasons why your life is way more awesome than you act like it is!
6) Do you know that you are really important and that we are really glad you’re here!?
All in all, a fun summer watch that impressed me with it’s relevance.
If you enjoyed our Candace Against the Universe parent review, check out:
-Our top choices for Disney Plus Streaming!
–The One and Only Ivan review and curriculum
– The Sleepover Movie review
–Descendants 3 Parent Review with Discussion Questions
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